Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Kota Belud MP said offered large sum to defect

KUALA LUMPUR: Backbencher Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Kota Belud-BN) caused a stir in parliament yesterday when he alleged that he was offered a large sum of money to defect to the opposition camp.

“I’d like to ask the Speaker, is it not corruption for certain opposition leaders to offer goodies to members of parliament (MPs) to jump ship? I myself have received a call offering a large sum of money to jump ship. Is that not corruption?

“They also offered me a Cabinet position. Is that not corruption?” he said when debating the motion of thanks on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Abdul Rahman also claimed that bribery was pervasive during the contest against the late Tun Ghafar Baba for the position of Umno deputy president, where tons of money, projects and “pink forms” were used as “grease” to secure victory.

“We in Sabah still remember how delegates (to the Umno general assembly) can be bought and threatened. Thanks to the supreme leader of PKR (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) for introducing and turning money politics into a culture in Umno Sabah,” he said.

He also teased the Pakatan Rakyat on who would succeed Anwar if he became the next prime minister, claiming that his constituents were pressing him on the matter.

“Who will become the next prime minister after Anwar? The people want to know? Can Pakatan Rakyat continue to surprise and create history by appointing the first prime minister from among the Chinese and Indians — (for example) the honourable MPs from Ipoh Timur (Lim Kit Siang) or Bukit Gelugor (Karpal Singh) from the DAP. We will wait…” he said.

“With his turban and robe ala Taliban, he is said to be unsuitable to hold the prime minister’s position as he can give the wrong image of Malaysia to foreign investors,” he said, adding that even non-Malays in Malaysia would be concerned if Hadi became either home or education minister.

He also asked whether PKR president and opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, whom he characterised as a puppet and warming the seat for Anwar, could become a prime minister.

Taking a swipe at Mohamed Azmin Ali (Gombak-PKR), Abdul Rahman said the PKR vice-president was so obsessed with his leader to the point of following Anwar’s style of clothing and speaking.

He ended his speech by saying Anwar was building an empire of nepotism and would appoint his daughter, Nurul Izzah (Lembah Pantai-PKR), to succeed him as prime minister.